A Ghanaian man residing in Canada has shared his remarkable journey, recounting how he took a significant risk by obtaining a bank loan of 20,000 cedis while working as a teacher in Ghana.
He used the loan secured to apply to schools in Canada, marking a pivotal decision that would change the course of his life.
In his account shared by X user, @eddie_wrt, the Ghanaian noted that he risked it all in order to get out of the country in 2019. Per his narration, the process of leaving the country did not work as expected when the Canadian authority found a fraudulent document.
“During that time, I could only take a loan worth GHC20,000. I used that to apply for a school in Canada. I then went to compete my visa process. It was a gentleman who forged a bank statement for me.
“Within three weeks, the officials said they had found something fraudulent in my document so I should provide a different bank statement. I had already paid the guy who got me the fake bank statement. I then told him the issue. He took another cash and did another statement for me. My application was pending for a year,” he recounted.
For a year, he noted that he had been living on GHC800 as his pay had been cut in half to allow him to pay back the loan. He noted that he was also paying exorbitant fees at Valley View University, where he was studying.
“My half of my pay was being subtracted during that period. I was taking about GH1300 then but was being paid GH800 for a year.
It wasn’t easy. I was also schooling at Valley View. So just imagine. The fees I had to pay there.”
Despite these concerns, this teacher currently abroad says he managed to make it and in the video, he made mention of snow as some sort of indication of his achievement. In the lens of the phone’s camera was a house behind him. It is unknown if it belongs to him or not.
He did not indicate how his stay in Canada took off or if there were any challenges. He boasted of his current situation and entreated his fellow teachers in Ghana who wish to come abroad to take risks.
“Sometimes, when I hear teachers say they don’t have enough funds to travel abroad, I tend to laugh. 2019, when I wanted to travel abroad, I didn’t have a pesewa but since I was determined, I went for a loan. In this life, we take risks. If it works for you, then you are good to go, if it does not, you try again.”
This video comes at a time when Ghana is experiencing mass exodus of teachers, nurses, among others. Government says it is working to address the challenges that poses a threat to healthcare delivery in the country as well as the country’s education sector.